When Charles the First Was King

Set in the Yorkshire dales during the reign of Charles I, this historical romance follows a country family caught in the widening quarrel between king and Parliament. J. S. Fletcher, a Yorkshireman himself, writes in the measured chronicle voice of the period, tracing love, loyalty, and divided allegiance as civil war draws neighbors onto opposite sides. Cavaliers and Roundheads, hidden sympathies, and the slow ruin of an old way of life give the book its quiet gravity. Fletcher, later famous for his detective novels, shows an early gift for atmosphere and place, rooting the drama firmly in the moors and manor houses he knew from childhood. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available to download.